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Wicking effect

Concept
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A metaphorical upward flow in verse structure or imagery, resembling capillary action.

Detailed Definition
Wicking effect in poetry describes how a single image, sound, or word draws emotional or thematic intensity from surrounding lines, much like a wick draws oil; this technique concentrates resonance in a focal point, amplifying its symbolic weight through contextual absorption.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poem where emotional intensity builds subtly through repeated images: “Each cup of tea grows colder— / the chair across the table stays empty” (absence implied through domestic detail); “The clock ticks— / the doorbell doesn’t ring— / the phone sleeps” (tension via omission); “She folds his shirts, / stacks them high, / waits” (emotional weight in mundane action); “Rain taps the roof— / same as yesterday— / same as tomorrow” (resignation through repetition)
Additional Notes
Wicking effect: The way that meaning or emotion from one line or stanza is subtly drawn forward into the next, often through enjambment or the continuation of a core image, causing a gradual saturation of the entire text.
Also Known As
Capillary effect Wick effect Soaking flow Capillary action
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